"...fund of 2000000 for disabled veterans of I the world war and for their mothers and other dependents was created by the will of LottaCrabtree Missoula Sept who died here last Thursday ing nearly ... representatives marked arrange ments here today for funeral services for Robert Imbrie American vice consul killed by a fanatical mob at Teheran Persia last July Diplomatic representatives of the Persian government ... of di rectors has offered and the By Associated tress Shanghai Sept of Chinese soldiers were killed and many wounded this morning on the sixmile front from to Malu when the armies of rival military gov ... which would otherwise be taken up by wounded Chinese are understood to be the leaders in planning an emergency hospital camp to..."

"...disabled soldiers and their will keep alive the memory ot LottaCrabtree the famous actress who died Sept 23 a trust fund of for the aid of these veterans if plans launched by Mrs Edward E Kidder 1C Fort ... Sept 25 at her grave in and costs Elase Pa cemetery and to visit It on Memorial Mass days sentence of CO days William J Gen Pershing because of his inter- I Manchester transporting I1 lOSU Alfred ... was too corrupt for her mother to lowo her to attend it Morphine into a drunken man frequently causes death majority ot the be appreciated by his con- charges were for liquor violations j Keyes ... - very truly EERT M T- S S Mrs E Bowden Tno funeral of Mrs Olive E as held at the borne at Welch er South Eliot at two o'clock day afternoon Rev Harold..."

"...to be delivered t charges about i ny the will oi LottaCrabtree the as a pan of the each are welcome it was who died here hist war ed yesterday to one of the lay Additional i Germany with the bad found bis wife ... attorney is name executor Mrs Yocum who died Kepf IS loft a will dated Fell and a codicil dated March H in i which she each to I ieU fol flu 1 he New York Sept New National league game was canceled today ... tho poison which caused the death of Joseph L rington a coal miner in a poison plot in Robert Tale and former wife By CLARK BRANION Staff Correspondent New York Sept Salm von Hoogstraten somewhere ... at the hospital a note sent in to the countess asking her if she would make any statement was returned with his The little hoy it tine He looks like his father From close..."

"...The Death and Will Of LottaCrabtree To Tin Of Mof felt Memories Of The Past When A 1 linve just road of the disposition by will of the estate of Lotta Crab formerly u actress cm tho American Her mum brings ... shelling plants in the Southern Of and Ayres The infant daughter of and Ayres of didl nt night at the Kings Hospital hero all that skill nnd love could do to and Ayres have the deep of Their ninny friends ... in The remains were token to Colum for interment WEATHER tonight and V In the City Court yesterday a colored was fined nnd cost by Mayor IOT having whisky lii her possession while n colored was fined on Of Two Men ... of his the afternoon of the 1 oclock the great heart in the weakened to bent nnd the noble man was pro The funeral will be held at Rolling Fork this Platt an..."

"...by falling timbers or Fruit crops were In some Many persons were In- The minister of labor is ing the stricken LottaCrabtree Sept. famous is Mignon as she was known In private died in her suite at the Hotel ... in return for con- i of the French embassy Holy Sept. The conference has decided to tute now rates In the German c In the Adriatic sea with the of developing Sept. Two Jish soldiers were killed in an at- tack ... at Sept. 26. Many persons have been lulled and heavy damage done by gales that swept northern to a Central News dispatch from Naples High winds were by torrential Eight were reported killed at Pallanza ... of the University of the Stale of New died ber 24 aboard the school ship according to word re- In Brooklyn He was SO years..."

"...of the Carpenters company shifted today BRAKE MAN KILLED ON COOLIDGE TRAIN 11 ji UI on Cool special bearing the and his party from to Washington was from the and killed I LOTTACRABTREE ACTRESS IS DEAD Crabtree once ... of ford and SO mill's southwest of waukee cars Milwaukee Vi cut through one ner of tho The late Col Hans C of the 15th tho famous Norwegian regiment In the civil war lies in this yard killed In action n tho ... mous who retired from the years died aged 77 years MAN IN Hunk l.nnue Company wants n mini In rt sell ami pure A very anil attractive Nln tor imire fur money Hint our lire lower than Hint tvc the help ... the afternoon exercises held at the Waterman ment In front of the Washington ..."

"...fund of disabled veterans of the world war and for wives mothers and other dependents is created by the will of LottaCrabtree the died here last Thursday which was filed for probate today Additional ... and called out to passing motorists to look at her Wont Allow Character Attack Attempts of the defense to attack the girls character brought a severe reproof from Chief Judge Timer He declared that the girls ... Country Club Deal FULL RESPECTS ARE PAID TO IMBRIS Associated Press of the today to Robert Imbrie the American who was killed by a fanatical mob at Teh eran Persia last July ser vices attended by President ... Coolidge and high officials of the American and Persian governments The body was buried with simple rites in Arlington National ..."

Immediate Family

About Charlotte Mignon Crabtree

Charlotte Mignon Crabtree was born in 1847 in New York City to parents John Ashworth Crabtree and Mary Ann (Livesey) Crabtree. In 1851, her father left for San Francisco looking for gold, Lotta and her mother followed in 1852. The family reunited in Grass Valley, California to run a boarding house for the miners.

It was here, Lotta met actress Lola Montez and became her protégé. Lotta made her first professional appearance at a tavern owned by Matt Taylor. Lotta began traveling to all of the mining camps performing ballads and dancing for the miners. In 1856, the family moved back to San Francisco where Lotta toured Sacramento and the Valley, and became frequently in demand. By 1859 she had become "Miss Lotta, the San Francisco Favorite". At the height of her career, she was known as "the nation's darling". She was described by critics as mischievous, unpredictable, impulsive, rattlebrained, teasing, piquant, rollicking, cheerful and devilish.

Lotta retired in 1891. The profits from her career, wisely invested in real estate all over the country during her tours, allowed her to lead a comfortable life. At her death in 1924 she left an estate of four million dollars in a charitable trust for such causes as veterans, aging actors and animals. The estate ran into complications when a number of people unsuccessfully contested the will. The trust still exists today.

Lotta Mignon Crabtree (November 7, 1847 – September 25, 1924) was an American actress, entertainer and comedian. She was also a significant philanthropist.

Born Charlotte Mignon Crabtree in New York City to British immigrants, Lotta Crabtree would go on to become one of the wealthiest and most beloved American entertainers of the late 19th century. From her beginnings as a 6-year-old until her retirement at the age of 45, she entertained and was named "The Nation's Darling".

Early life

Her father, John Ashworth Crabtree, a book seller, left for San Francisco in 1851 to join those seeking fortune in the California Gold Rush. Lotta and her mother followed two years later, joining John in the boomtown of Grass Valley. While in Grass Valley, the Crabtrees ran a boarding house. Lotta soon attracted the attention of a neighbor, the dancer and actress Lola Montez, who encouraged Lotta's enthusiasm for the performance.

The Crabtrees moved again and set up another boarding house, this time in Rabbit Creek, forty miles north of Grass Valley. Soon after, Lotta made her first professional appearance at a tavern owned by Matt Taylor. She began touring throughout California, and Nevada, making a name for herself as a dancer, singer, and banjo player in the mining camps. In 1856, the family moved back to San Francisco. By 1859, she had become "Miss Lotta, the San Francisco Favorite".

Lotta's mother served as her manager and collected all of Lotta's earnings in gold, carrying it in a large leather bag. When this became too heavy, it was transferred to a steamer trunk.

Later career

Having made a name in California, in 1863 Lotta left to tour the east coast where she began acting in plays such as The Old Curiosity Shop, Uncle Tom's Cabin and Little Nell and the Marchioness. With her petite size, she became a favorite for her portrayals of children. The late 1860s would see the "Lotta Polka" and "Lotta Gallup" as quite the rage in America. At age 20 she was a national star. By 1875, Lotta was touring the nation with her own theatrical company. Lotta achieved the height of her success in the 1870s and 1880s.

The 1880s saw her perennially as the highest paid actress in America, earning sums of up to $5,000 per week. Mary Ann was still managing Lotta's affairs: booking plays, finding locations, and organizing troupes of actors. When the steamer trunk became too heavy, she invested Lotta's earnings in local real estate, race horses and bonds. As well as investing, some of the money was used to support local charities and build fountains. Lotta's Fountain, the most famous of these fountains, still stands at the intersection of Market and Kearny Streets in San Francisco, and is the site of meetings every April 18 marking the anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Lotta traveled abroad with Mary Ann and her brothers, where she learned French, visited museums and began painting. After her tour abroad, Lotta returned to San Francisco where she played at the California Theatre, reprising her role in Little Nell and the Marchioness by John Bowen. Having missed her while she was away, the city responded warmly to her return and treated her like their very own star.[1]

In 1885, Lotta's mother had an 18 room summer cottage built in the Breslin Park section of Mount Arlington on the shores of Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, which was called Attol Tryst. The house, designed by noted architect Frank Furness, stands today and in recent years has been beautifully restored. Lotta gave parties, drove horses, and pursued her painting.

Retirement

She was forced to retire as a result of a fall in Wilmington, Delaware in May 1889. After recovering in Lake Hopatcong, she attempted a comeback in 1891 and decided to retire permanently from the stage. She later resisted calls for a farewell tour. At age 45, it was the perfect time to retire - she was the richest actress in America, the theatre was changing and she got out at the top. She made one final appearance in 1915 for "Lotta Crabtree Day" in San Francisco at the Panama-Pacific Exposition.

While Lotta apparently had her share of romance, her travel, lifestyle and mother made a long-term relationship difficult and Lotta never married.

Following retirement, Lotta traveled, painted (including studying at Paris in 1912) and was active in charitable work.

Late in her life, Lotta moved to Massachusetts and was owner of acreage in the southern part of the Squantum section of Quincy, immediately south of Boston, Massachusetts. It is said to have been purchased for the benefit and health of her brother (Ashworth) and for their horses. Most of the land was sold as house lots in the 1930s and '40s. Children who walked to school through Lotta's land in those days often passed by two small markers of local granite set into the ground, engraved "Ruby Royal" and "Sonoma Girl" - two of the Crabtrees' horses. Local street names include Ashworth Road, Livesey Road, Sonoma Road, and the shoreline Crabtree Road. Ashworth was a family surname, as was Livesey. A large cylindrical stone tower constructed nearby likely had a farm-related storage purpose. Further information may be available through the Quincy (Massachusetts) Historical Society.

Lotta spent the last 15 years of her life at the Brewster Hotel which she had purchased in Boston. She died September 25, 1924 at age 76. In her obituary, The New York Times called her the "eternal child". She was described by critics as mischievous, unpredictable, impulsive, rattlebrained, teasing, piquant, rollicking, cheerful and devilish. Lotta Crabtree was interred at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Bronx, NY.

Lotta left an estate of some $4 million in a charitable trust for such causes as veterans, aging actors and animals. The estate ran into complications when a number of people unsuccessfully contested the will. The trust still exists today.

Memorials

Crabtree Hall, a dormitory at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, is named for Lotta.

Lotta Fountain, Geary & Market Streets, San Francisco

Lotta Window, St. Stephen's Church, Chicago

Attol Tryst, former summer residence, Lake Hopatcong, NJ (not open to the public).